New Perspectives in Science Education
Vincent Natalis
Institution: University of Liège
Country: Belgium
Vincent Natalis is an assistant teacher at Liège University, in Belgium. He graduated in 2018 as master in chemical sciences and is now a PhD candidate in chemistry didactics at Liège University.
His research focuses on thermodynamics, the subbranch of physical chemistry that describes heat and temperature. Physical chemistry is conceptually abstract, so it is naturally difficult to teach, and students' misconceptions are numerous. His research topic is the teaching of the second law of thermodynamics, which defines one of the fundamental quantities of this subject: entropy. The objective of his work is to identify the pre- or misconceptions of the students in his university, and to propose, test and analyze innovative didactic engineering (laboratories, simulations, alternative pedagogical methods) to improve the teaching of entropy.
Areas of expertise: University pedagogy, chemistry didactics, conceptual change
His research focuses on thermodynamics, the subbranch of physical chemistry that describes heat and temperature. Physical chemistry is conceptually abstract, so it is naturally difficult to teach, and students' misconceptions are numerous. His research topic is the teaching of the second law of thermodynamics, which defines one of the fundamental quantities of this subject: entropy. The objective of his work is to identify the pre- or misconceptions of the students in his university, and to propose, test and analyze innovative didactic engineering (laboratories, simulations, alternative pedagogical methods) to improve the teaching of entropy.
Areas of expertise: University pedagogy, chemistry didactics, conceptual change
